Tom Silvagni, the son of Carlton football great Steven Silvagni, has formally lodged an appeal with the Supreme Court of Victoria against his recent conviction for rape.
Conviction and Sentencing Details
Last month, Silvagni was found guilty on two counts of rape following an attack on a woman at his home in January 2024. During the sentencing hearing, County Court Judge Gregory Lyon was scathing in his assessment of Silvagni's conduct.
Judge Lyon told the court that Silvagni had lied and actively attempted to undermine the victim's beliefs to stop her from reporting the crime to police. "Your conduct towards Samantha was egregious," the judge stated. He noted that while the woman, who had a brief prior relationship with Silvagni's friend Anthony LoGiudice, did not sustain physical injuries, she was left with significant psychological and emotional trauma.
The court heard the woman had been invited to the house by Silvagni's girlfriend, Alannah Iaconis.
Family's Stance and Support Network
Outside court following a pre-sentence hearing in December, Steven Silvagni and his wife Jo publicly vowed to fight for their son. Standing together, Steven Silvagni expressed the family's collective disappointment and unwavering support.
"Jo and I, together with our family members and friends, are so disappointed with the outcome," he said. "We all love and support our son, Tom. Our son continues to maintain his innocence and we stand firmly behind him."
He confirmed they would be exploring appeal options with the goal of clearing Tom's name. "Our goal is to clear his name and bring him home," Steven Silvagni stated, asking for privacy during the process.
Club Backing Amid Ongoing Case
The appeal move comes as St Kilda Football Club, where Steven serves as AFL list manager and his older son Jack recently joined from Carlton, affirmed its support for the family. New football boss Lenny Hayes addressed the situation publicly.
"We support all of our people. It's obviously been a really challenging time for their family," Hayes said. "But we fully support Jack and Stephen. They're fully committed to their roles this year, as we are to them."
The case continues to develop as the Supreme Court considers the grounds for the appeal against the conviction.
